Kitchen cabinet



N. R. MOORE KITCHEN CABINET Dec. 18, 1934.

Filed Aug. ll, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 18, 1934. N. R. MOORE KITCHEN CABINET -Filed Aug. 11, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5O gwuentoz Patented Dec. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The invention relates to kitchen furniture and showing the table and bench fully extended for has special reference to a combined kitchen cabinet, table and seats particularly intended and well adapted for use in apartments or dwellings where there is very limited space in the kitchen, the device being in a sense collapsible so as to occupy the minimum space when not in use and the table and seats being movable and extensible or projectable when use thereof is desired.

In a measure, the present device may be considered an improvement upon the seat structure disclosed in my patent for Kitchen cabinets No. 1,778,163, granted October 14th, 1930, in that it is an object of the present invention to provide seats formed of movably connected sections, the arrangement being such that one or both sections may be selectively used depending upon whether it is intended to accommodate one or two persons at the side of the table when the latter is in extended or operative position.

An important object of the invention is to provide a cabinet of this character embodying a novel means for mounting the table so that the latter may be enclosed entirely within the confines of the cabinet when not in use or readily moved to project from the front thereof and at right angles thereto when its use is necessary.

A specific object is to provide a cabinet of this character in which the seat is formed of hingedly connected sections which may be extended in ooextensive relation to seat two persons, folded to seat one person, or folded and collapsed and slid into the body of the cabinet when use is not desired.

A further object is to provide a cabinet of this character in which the top, when the table and seats are in folded position, may be used as a Work table, or in which the top may support an additional superposed cabinet structure for instance as disclosed in said patent.

An additional object is to provide a cabinet of this character which will be simple and inexpensive to make and install, which may be considered portable if necessary, which will be neat and attractive in appearance, convenient and emcient in use, durable in service, and a general improvement in the art.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects and advantages, the invention preferably consists in the details of construction and the arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my cabinet use, the sections of the bench or seat being arranged in end to end or coextensive relation to acc mmodate two persons,

Figure 2 is a top plan view with the table and 5 bench extended and with a portion of the top broken away,

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 3--3 of Figure 2, the folding of one section of the bench being illustrated by dot and dash lines,

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the table alone with the legs folded, I

Figure 5 is a cross section therethrough taken on the line 55 of Figure 4, 15

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the bench extended, the view being really a section taken on the line 6-6 of Figure 3,

Figure 7 is a similar view with the seat folded but extended to accommodate one person, 20

Figure 8 is a detail section taken on substantially the line 88 of Figure 2,

Figure 9 is a plan view of a fragment of the cabinet showing the guide for the table,

Figure 10 is a detail section taken on the line 10-10 of Figure 4, and

Figure 11 is a detail section taken on the line 11-11 of Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings I have shown a cabinet indicated as a whole by the numeral 15, this cabinet being constructed of wood, metal or any other material and being of rectangular shape and supported upon legs 16. The exact construction of the cabinet 15 may be varied to a considerable extent and it may be 35 provided with any desired number of cupboard compartments closed by doors 17 and also provided with any desired number of drawers 18. Furthermore beneath the top 19, which is usable as a work table, there may be provided a compartment 20 for the reception of a movably mounted ironing board 21, not shown in detail, but which may be constructed and arranged as disclosed in said patent. The ironing board forms no part whatsoever of the present invention but 45 its presence is indicated as an additional convenience.

The cabinet 15 may, if desired, have a superstructure thereon as indicated in the patent and conforming to a greater or less extent to such devices in common use.

In accordance with the present invention the cabinet 15 is formed with a compartment 22 within which is movably mounted a table 23 of such dimensions as to be received within the up to lie against the underside of. the sheet metal top 25. The frame 24 and track 30 may be. notched or partially cut away as at 24' and 30', respectively, so that one side of the leg structure, or one leg, may lie fiat against the underside of the top 25 so that the underside of the leg structure will be flush with the underside of the frame. Clearly the leg structure is swinsable to extend downwardly in a vertical position as shown in Figure 1 with the braces 28 extended and locked together as is a common arrangement. Secured upon the underside of the table 23 is a substantially V-shaped or T-shaped guide track 30 channel shaped in cross section and slidably engaging a roller 31 journaled on a post 32 mounted at the bottom of the compartment 21, the post preferably extending through the bottom member of the compartment and being carried by an attaching plate 33 H into the bottom of the compartment and secured as by screws 34. Stops 35 and 38 are provided at the ends of the track 30 so that it and uently the table 23 cannot be absolutely pulled out and detached from the cabinet except upon removal of the stop 35 which may of course'be simply held in place by a screw or the like.

When the table is not in use it is confined entirely within the compartment 22 with the leg structure 28 and braces 28 folded up and lying within the confines of theframe 24. At such time the guide roller 31 carried by the post 32 is located within the outer end of that portion of the track 30 which extends transversely of the table, or in other words the stop 36 is in engagement with the roller. When use of the table is desired, the operator inserts his fingers within the open front of the compartment 22 so as to engage them beneath the edge of the table and then pulls the table out in parallel relation to the cabinet until the angle of the guide track 30 reaches the roller 31, after which it is necessary to swing the table in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2 while continuing to pull it out whereupon the curved portion of the track will ride along the roller 31 so that the table will eventually assume a position extending at right-angles from the front of the cabinet as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the stop 35 being then in engagement with the roller. The leg structure 26 is then swung down and the braces 28 swung into alinement and locked so that the table will have its free end supported 4 and will be rigid and ready for service.

To provide seating accommodations for one or two persons desiring to use the table for dining or other purposes,'I provide a bench or seat structure indicated as a whole by the numeral 37 and comprising a pair of sections 38 and 39 hingedly connected at 40 and capable of being arranged selectively in end to end relation as shown in Figures 1, 3 and 8 or folded one upon the other as shown in Figure 7. The undersides of these sections are recessed at 41 and 42-for the reception of leg structures 43 and 44, respectively, provided with foldable braces 45 and 46. The leg structure 43 may be of skeleton formation as clearly illustrated in Figure 1 whereas the leg structure 44 is preferably solid so as to fill the recess 42 when folded inasmuch as under some circumstances the underside of the section 39 becomes the surface upon which the .user sits. The lower end of the leg structure 44 is preferably hollowed-out or concaved as at 47 so that the operator may insert his fingers and pull the leg structure 44 out from the recess 42 and swing it down into the vertical position shown in Figures 1 and 3. When the seat sections have their legs folded up into the recesses 41 and 42 and when the section 39 is swung upon the hinges 40 so as to lie fiat upon the section 38 the seat structure is slidable into a compartment 48 in the cabinet so as to be entirely contained therewithin. To prevent disconnection of the bench or seat structure from the cabinet the section 38 may be provided with a cleat 49 at its inner end adapted to engage stops 50 at the sides of the compartment 48 as shown in Figures 6 and 7.

In the use of the device, it will be clear that under ordinary circumstances the table 23 is confined entirely within the compartment 22 while the folded and superposed seat sections 38 and 39 are located entirely within the compartment 48. The cabinet then occupies the minimum space and its top 19 may be used as a kitchen table or for any desired purpose. When for example it is desired to serve a meal, the table 23 is grasped and pulled out, while being turned at the same time so as to bring it into the projected or extended position shown in Figure 1 and the legs 26 are swung down and the braces 28 extended so as to support the free end, all as above described. The user then reaches into the front of the compartment 48 and pulls out the bench or seat structure. If only one person is to sit at the table the section 39 may be left in folded position superposed upon the section 38. If two persons intend to sit at the table the section 39 is swung upon the hinges 40 into proiected position coextensive with the section 38 and of course the legs 43 and 44 are swung down and the braces 45 and 48 moved into operative position. If use of the dining facilities are no longer needed the seat structure is folded up and pushed into the compartment 48 and the table structure 23 is similarly returned to the compartment 22.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawings it will be apparent that I have thus provided a very simply constructed, inexpensive and highly useful and convenient kitchen cabinet which provides table and seating accommodations for one or two persons without it being necessary to have additional furniture. Clearly, if desired, the cabinet might be made of greater width and provided with a seat structure at both sides of the table. As such would be a mere duplication of what is disclosed in the drawings illustration thereof is unnecessary. It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art without further explanation.

Having thus described the invention, I claim:

1. A device of the character described comprising a cabinet formed with a compartment, a table of a size to fit within said compartment and normally contained therein, a guide track of inverted channel shape mounted on the underside of the table and provided with stop blocks within its ends, a roller mounted at the bottom of the compartment at the-forward edge thereof and guidably engaged within said track, said table being slidable in parallel relation to the cabinet and then rotatable and slidable to bring it into extended position at substantially right angles to the front of the cabinet, and a folding leg structure hinged beneath the outer end of the table, said track being of substantially 7-shape with one leg extending transversely of the table and the other leg being curved and extending longitudinally thereof, the leg structure being recessed to avoid interference with the roller.

2. A device of the character described comprising a cabinet formed with a compartment, a table of a size to fit within said compartment and normally contained therein, a guide track of inverted channel shape mounted on the underside of the table and provided with stops at its ends, an outstanding stub mounted beneath the compartment and extending thereinto, a roller journaled on said stub guidably engaged within said track, said table being slidable in parallel relation to the cabinet and then rotatable and slidable to bring it into extended position at substantially right angles to the front of the cabinet, the table having its underside formed with a recess, a folding leg structure hinged beneath the outer end of the table and swingable to lie within the recess, and foldable braces pivotally connected with the table and the leg structure, the side edges of the leg structure lying against the walls of the recess and being recessed to accommodate the braces when in folded position.

3. A device of the character described comprising a cabinet formed with a compartment, a table of a size to fit within said compartment and normally contained therein, a guide track of angular shape mounted on the underside of the table and provided with stops at its ends, a roller mounted at the bottom of the compartment and guidably engaged within said track, said table being slidable in parallel relation to the cabinet and then rotatable and slidable to bring it into extended position at substantially right angles to the front of the cabinet, and a folding leg structure hinged beneath the outer end of the table, the table and the track being recessed to receive one side of the leg structure, and said side of the leg structure being cut away to provide a recess registering with the track.

NINIAN R. MOORE. 

